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Utah Geological Survey board to add groundwater seat after legislative changes
Summary
The Utah Geological Survey board said the Legislature added language recognizing groundwater and wetlands work and authorized expanding the board by a seat for groundwater representation; the board agreed to recruit for the new seat and to open a mineral-industry seat for applicants.
Elisa Richards, chair of the Utah Geological Survey Board, told members on April 15 that the survey successfully secured statutory language during the recent legislative session to recognize its groundwater and wetlands work and to add a designated groundwater-resources seat to the board.
"We requested to replace one of the mineral seats with a groundwater resources representative," Richards said during the meeting, and described a negotiation that instead led to expanding the board from seven to eight members so the mineral industry would not lose representation. "We would instead add a new seat to this board." Richards said staff will notify members and that the Office of Boards and Commissions will add the new groundwater seat to the list the governor uses to appoint members.
The move responds to a yearlong review of the survey's statutory powers during the organization's strategic planning, Richards said. She told the board that the change will formally recognize significant groundwater and wetlands responsibilities already carried out by UGS staff.
The board discussed how to fill the newly opened mineral-industry seat once the groundwater seat is filled. Several members urged recruiting from industrial minerals or geothermal firms; board member Becky Hammond flagged geothermal as a possible addition if market trends continue. Richards said she would consult with industry contacts, including Brian Summers at the Utah Mining Association, and invited board members to recommend candidates.
Board members were told that Neil Burke, who currently serves on the board and identifies as a hydrogeologist, may apply for the newly created groundwater seat once the appointment is posted; Richards said Cheryl (UGS staff) will notify Neil and other board members when the process is live.
What happens next: the board will monitor the appointments process through the governor's office and accept nominations or candidate suggestions from members to fill the open mineral-industry seat once the groundwater seat is filled. The board did not take a formal vote on the recruitment approach at this meeting.
Why it matters: the change formally aligns board composition with the survey's expanding groundwater and wetlands workload and gives the survey an explicit voice for groundwater interests on its governing body.
